Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Upload!!!

I'm not sure why only Canada has the upload up so far but lululemon sure is botching this holiday (retail) season so far. Many items that I saw in store today where not uploaded to the Canada side either, or if they uploaded online my store didn't get it. My store never got the snowball jacket or the black grape runderful pants, or the striped base runner pants (Robson has) but we did get a Peacock Pique Think Fast Hoodie and a black/white striped Scuba Hoodie III. Online I ordered the Snowball Jacket because I am very curious about how much sherpa high pile fleece it has on the inside. If it's just around the neckline I don't need it but if the body is sherpa, I'm gonna want to keep that. You will be shocked to know (after my many weeks of lusting after them) that I did not get the black grape runderful pants. I just lost the need or desire for them after waiting so long on them. Instead I got the striped base runner pants since I live in those.

I will post more when the US upload goes live, but in the meantime, what did my Canadian readers buy?

The Peacock Pique Think Fast Hoodie

I brought this home today but I think I'm wanting to return it. I hate the white in the pique and wish there was less contrast with the gorgeous solid Peacock.

47 comments

Despite the US having zero Runderful Pants uploaded so far, I called my store today and they confirmed they have them in two colours and a full size range. I'm wondering what else they have hanging around that hasn't been uploaded for us yet. My reward for studying my booty off this week will be a Lulu trip for any single item after my practical Thursday. Hopefully lulu will make it worth the trip.

Smh, I am starting to wonder what is going on over there at Lululemon. This is the season when a company should be capitalizing on the fact that people want to spend money to buy gifts. The stores should be fully stocked and the uploads should be on time and full of new, exciting products. After last Thursday's minimal upload, this week's late upload, and the constant spam on Hey Lululemon, I am starting to wonder if it is a bunch of amateurs running the show! Bah, I guess enough complaining at first world problems. I'm heading over to Carbon38 with my money......

I'm with you lulumum I lost interest in the Runderful pants after waiting so long for the Black Grape and I bought the Tonka Stripe Base Runners instead. I am so disappointed how late stuff is coming out. I'm still waiting for the Herringbone Radiant Jacket. We never got the Heathered Green Fuel Scuba III. These 2 drops a week are a joke too when they only add a couple things each time.

Completely agree about the second run of base runners in the black grape, navy and wee stripe black. I had bought the first black version this year and then went back to hunt down the Bordeaux and dark fuel since those felt thicker and consistent around each of the sections of the pant (e.g., used same fabric on side strip panels as on rest of the pant).

I agree with the comments that the 2 uploads a week have been very underwhelming. I did buy the grape & inkwell runderful pants. They can pass for work pants on casual Fridays & keep me warm. I sure wish we had received the jungle green swiftly and new crbs. I was surprised to see the ebb and flow pants I wanted in August available in Canada for the first time today. I no longer want them since they didn't have great reviews in the US. It seems as if Canada is getting the leftovers from the rest of the world.There have been so many things I wanted from the UK and Australia which we have never received. I noticed the lululemon spokesperson, Kaitlin on 'what we love" has decreased her responses to customers questions for the past couple of months. Makes you wonder what is happening internally. I am saving money this holiday season because there isn't the product in my local store (London,on) and online I am not seeing what I want.

Well maybe the lack of yummy holiday stock reflects the fact that Lulu's stock is plummeting with overstock of inventory as the Wall Street Journal has reported today.Lulu is overburdened with inventory and lack of sales this season.I love Lulu for all of its detailing and feminine style and that was the only reason I was once willing to overlook its " snobbiness "(poor return window; no price adjustment whatsoever; no loyalty for loyal customers or for even hard-working educators who have stayed with the company for years s\, etc...)Now with its persistent wavering customer reassurance (sometimes I can damage an item for severe piling with one wear; sometimes I can't ..depending on the current mood of the manager or GEC) and the lack of detailing/good quality; I can no longer depend on my favorite athleisure designer, Lulu. This is especially in light of other athleisure companies popping up and offering price adjustments, free shipping and returns, customer loyalty programs. Lulu had increasingly been inconsistent in offerings from one country to another (yes, I understand there are buyers for each countries looking for the athleisure interests of each country) and in the quality/sizing of one item from the next (even if it is the same clothing item)And the quality is deteriorating.........my wunder unders from years past still look brand new. However, my new ones pill within one wear. Nevermind the upload time/offering inconsistencies from country to country. Yet the prices rise.I still try to uphold the company I once loved. It is so sad that the quality & design are steadily declining.Now there are Lulu outlets popping up everywhere with an overabundance of product.Sorry for rambling, just losing my love in Lulu. However, first world problems & I am relieved my crazy addiction is cured!

I love Lulu too and there are so many great items hidden with everything they release. But I do find it sad they don't keep up with the business and offer a better return policy or exchange policy like the North Face. (Lifetime warranty!) Now seeing that they are just being stupid with the uploads you have to wonder what's going on. They have a strong brand but they are running into the ground.

Don't be fooled by the Lifetime warranty at North Face store because I thought so too and was told when I returned a defective 600$ jacket that it's the jacket lifetime which is about 7 years depending on which item!

I hear you Anon 5:12. There used to be so much I always wanted from LLL and man, how I used to spend. I shook myself out of it about a year and a half ago though because I was appalled at how much I had. Unfortunately for LLL, they helped lose my business as designs were becoming unappealing, less classic with details, too much funky or &Go type stuff. And add to that for sure the deterioration of quality. I also agree that my several years' old WUs and pants (Still, Groove, Relaxed Fit) all look brand new and are superior to what is being put out today.

Items I purged or sold I do not regret - I really had to let go. I am very, very selective of what I buy now. Mainly CRBs, although way curbed now as they too are not as reliable on quality/feel etc. And I did get the black sapphire LS Swiftly--first time in a loooong time that I was after anything/had to have.

The reason I have loved LLL is for celebrating and promoting athleticism with femininity. Years ago, as longtime runner I got tired of a lot of women's athletic wear being just a smaller version of men's wear without much thought put into it and certainly not always flattering (and some brands are still guilty of this!). LLL: to have a brand that not only did athletic wear in a flattering and often genius way (hello the number and types of pockets in shorts and crops; and cuffins), be so comfortable, and also had the "athleisure" angle, well done. One pair of speed shorts or whatever they were called back then and I was sold! And then a little too sold, buying too much.

Definitely want them to succeed, but some inner turmoil and lack of direction seems to be evident.

Now I pretty much wait for wmtm (Swiftly excepted, that I knew), and if I do not get it, no big deal/first world problems.

I chatted with GEC today about the US upload and the educator did not know what was an upload. Furthermore, she did not know we get product drops every Tuesday and Thursday. When I copied the link to her from Katelin's What We Love, she acted surprised and told me product drops occur at the beginning of the week, but not on a specific day. After I copied the link she told me "she learns something new everyday." Like WTF!?!? Then she said it might occur on Thursday, but once again I told her Katelin said every TUESDAY and Thursday. Then she said, well we are on PST, so it is 7:30 here. She gave me the complete run around. I used to be an educator and this is a disgrace to the company. A complete shame! I honestly would rather them say, oh no there is a glitch in the system or no upload tonight...but no that would admit wrong on their part.

I ALWAYS know more about the products than the GEC's at my store! As a matter of fact they ask me what's coming... you would think they could spend 20 mins on the blogs and heylulu to be informed when a customer asks them about something!

I agree with Anon 7:36 that staff should be informed on process, upload days times, hot products, and provide general, good customer service. I do not agree they should have to spend time reading blogs, Facebook etc. on their own time. I certainly don't go home to do extra research on my corporate field. I will read up on relevant things/stay informed, when and if time permits from the real work that has to be done. I put in enough long hours as it is. I would apply this same principle to LLL customer service on the phone or in store. If they are into knowing more on their own time, that is different.

Actually, I disagree. They don't need to know what Athleta or Nike or Alala or whoever is doing, but they do need to know what Lulu is doing. I always have done research on what my company is doing (and what is going on in the field), but that's because I invest myself into my job and choose not to be blindsided by questions or information I don't know anything about. I check out the blogs and it takes maybe 5 minutes out of my day, and I watch 4 of them. It is also, however, up to the company to keep their employees informed.

They are having problems with the US website, when I play around with the app I am able to see pictures of the base runners in stripes, a new berry rumble striped long swifty, a black/grey daily practice jacket, and the pink shine on define jacket. So sad they don't have their act together with something so simple.

I would love to be spending my money elsewhere. But sometimes in Canada it feels like the options are limited. Anyone have suggestions for other good activewear stores in Canada (online shopping is a bonus)? Thanks!

Is heylululemon.com just a joke? I post on there all the time and never receive any sort of response. It's like they want us to think we're being heard, but no one listens. I feel like these weak uploads and lack of customer service are getting old. I'm about over lulu to be honest.

That's what I'm starting to think too. I've posted a few times about the wastefulness of sending bags with every online order (over the course of like a year+) and I've gotten the "we're working on it" response. How long does it take to "work on it"? I can rattle off 5 ways to fix the issue right now.

I'm tempted to ask them to show me one- just one- idea from heylulu that has actually happened. I understand as a business they can't change on every customer request. But I'm starting to feel like they just want us to feel like we have a voice, when in reality they could care less. It's insulting to our intelligence.

Also, I work with websites/blogging- getting rid of the spam is a five minute fix.

They used to be a lot more responsive and actually move items to "in progress" status or whatever to indicate they were considering implementation. There also used to be a "Guest Love" feature where they send a box of goodies to a vocal and active community member. I still enjoy it as it's a place for like minded Lululemon fanatics to discuss their thoughts but the moderators have definitely taken a step back.

Lulumum one more question did you find the think fast hoodie was true to size or a size up? In swiftlys I will go up because I don't like them skin tight for reference. And anything looser fitting I am a 4.